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Pet Passports

A pet passport is needed for your pet to travel with you when you go abroad with them (dogs, cats and ferrets) and then come back the UK without the need for quarantine of your pet.

We can issue a pet passport on behalf of our government if your pet is firstly, microchipped and then vaccinated against rabies. There is no need to have a blood test done after vaccination, (as was) though you may want this done just to be reassured that your dog (usually) is protected. Return is not allowed until 1 month has passed from the date of the vaccination and when you do, a dog must have been treated for tapeworms and this done by a Vet and recorded in the passport. The vaccine lasts for 3 years before a booster is due.

This also applies for the Republic of Ireland.

All this is part of the Pet Travel Scheme and it is essential that you check for changes and see latest information. You must read up-to-date details at the DEFRA web site HERE to ensure the rules are current.

Any EU country qualifies for using an EU Pet Passport but there are other countries where additional documentation is necessary, though a pet passport is always needed. Please look at the DEFRA web site HERE to find out. See authorised ports of entry there too.

The pet travel scheme allows people to to take their pets (dogs, cats and ferrets) abroad and then return to the UK, or bring pets into the UK, without quarantine, as long as they meet the rules of the scheme.

The changes are being introduced to give effect to a new European regulation and are designed to improve the security of the scheme and traceability of the pet passport. They will also help clamp down on abuse of the system.

The changes include:

a new minimum age of 12 weeks before a pet can be vaccinated against rabies

new pet passports will include laminated strips and a requirement for more contact details to be provided by the vet issuing the document and certifying the veterinary treatments

a new requirement for all member states in the EU to carry out checks on their borders (the UK already checks all pets coming into the country through approved routes)

a tighter definition of non-commercial movement which will mean owners who cannot travel with a pet when they enter the EU, must do so within 5 days; owners can still authorise another person to travel with their pet, but again the pet and authorised person must travel within 5 days of each other

All pets are still required to have a microchip which confirms the animal’s identity.

Existing passports will remain valid for the lifetime of the pet or until all treatment spaces have been filled on the document.

All pet passports issued by vets from 29 December 2014 will be in the new format.